Cooled C6 seats?
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,355
Likes: 12
And you wonder why Corvettes don't appeal to younger people? If the C7 is going to be a success both here and abroad, it needs to keep up with the luxuries that young buyers expect when they buy a $60K car. Having the "Old School" attitude will only attract older buyers, which is not GM's goal. Younger people like gadgets, and if GM does not recognize that, they will continue to only sell about 15,000 units a year, which is nothing to brag about.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 26,714
Likes: 344
From: Houston, TX
I think it's about time for my "why aren't you guys over on the Lotus Elise forum" line. I think ya'll would be a lot happier over there.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 26,714
Likes: 344
From: Houston, TX
I think you are sadly mistaken. The typical Corvette buyer probably could not even tell you how much HP the car has. I'd challenge you to make a list of technical questions about the car and the next random 10 Corvettes you run across see how many answers they can get right.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,355
Likes: 12
Gee, the car already has power windows, seats, door locks, steering column, top, Bose Stereo, driver/passenger A/C controls, Navigation etc, but somehow keeping from sweating in the summer pushes you guys over the top.
I think it's about time for my "why aren't you guys over on the Lotus Elise forum" line. I think ya'll would be a lot happier over there.
I think it's about time for my "why aren't you guys over on the Lotus Elise forum" line. I think ya'll would be a lot happier over there.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,355
Likes: 12
I think you are sadly mistaken. The typical Corvette buyer probably could not even tell you how much HP the car has. I'd challenge you to make a list of technical questions about the car and the next random 10 Corvettes you run across see how many answers they can get right.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 5,738
Likes: 81
From: Milford NH
I would give up power seat controls for a cooled seat. I never move my seat anyway so why even have power controls? The cooled seats probably don't weigh that much anyway. If you live here in FL you understand how bad the problem is. My car is black on black too. If the C7 has them I'll put C7 seats in there.
I will never own a vert again without cooled seats. Not needed or desired for a coupe though.IMO
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 176
Likes: 3
From: Brea CA
No, "high performance buyer people" are also BMW M3, 911, MB C63, etc. buyers. What do those other cars have, better technology. Don't get me wrong, the Corvette is an amazing car and competes with the best of them, that is why I bought one. Believe me, I want GM to succeed, however, if GM fails to keep up with the pack in technology, well, it will just keep selling 15,000 units a year, which is not great.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,355
Likes: 12
No, "high performance buyer people" are also BMW M3, 911, MB C63, etc. buyers. What do those other cars have, better technology. Don't get me wrong, the Corvette is an amazing car and competes with the best of them, that is why I bought one. Believe me, I want GM to succeed, however, if GM fails to keep up with the pack in technology, well, it will just keep selling 15,000 units a year, which is not great.
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Race Director
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 11,973
Likes: 463
From: Tonawanda New York
I think you are sadly mistaken. The typical Corvette buyer probably could not even tell you how much HP the car has. I'd challenge you to make a list of technical questions about the car and the next random 10 Corvettes you run across see how many answers they can get right.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 506
Likes: 64
From: Eastern Pennsylvania
I had an email exchange back in early 2004 with Dave Hill who was the lead engineer when the C6 was being developed and introduced. I suggested two enhancements; steering wheel controls and cooled seats. 
Back then, the Cadillac XLR was being assembled in the same plant and the XLR had both of them.
Dave's response to me was "Steering wheel controls were considered and we elected to keep the steering wheel for the purpose of contolling the car. Have driven many versions of this in which it is possible to inadvertantly activate something you do not want to while driving in a spirited manner. The cooled seats are working satisfactorily in the Cadillac, however they add to the height of the seated occupant, which is not satisfactory for the lower Corvette. We will not be allowing these two cars to get blurred together, they must remain distinct so that each is special in the needs it fulfills."
Well... he was wrong about the steering wheel controls which came out after he retired. Maybe with some engineering advancements, cooled seats could be considered for the future. Who knows...
Back then, the Cadillac XLR was being assembled in the same plant and the XLR had both of them. Dave's response to me was "Steering wheel controls were considered and we elected to keep the steering wheel for the purpose of contolling the car. Have driven many versions of this in which it is possible to inadvertantly activate something you do not want to while driving in a spirited manner. The cooled seats are working satisfactorily in the Cadillac, however they add to the height of the seated occupant, which is not satisfactory for the lower Corvette. We will not be allowing these two cars to get blurred together, they must remain distinct so that each is special in the needs it fulfills."
Well... he was wrong about the steering wheel controls which came out after he retired. Maybe with some engineering advancements, cooled seats could be considered for the future. Who knows...
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 176
Likes: 3
From: Brea CA
That is what I meant, performance technology. For example, the 911 has the PDK system, which has great reviews. I am not saying the C7 should have that, but would not be surprised if it did, or come out with some other high tech performance we have never seen before. I went to a recent NCM party and our guest speaker stated the C7 would be "Revolutionary, not Evolutionary." I guess we find out in about 6 months if that is true.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,838
Likes: 6
From: San Diego CA
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
nope, you are wrong. you can go to most corvette clubs with c6 owners and ask them a list of tech questions, on paper, so no one is listening to the answers. the vast majority have no real idea about their car---hp, tq, type of springs, how many belts, spare tire location, fuel injection or direct injection, on and on---a real questionnaire with right, wrong, and misleading questions.
frankly, that's not so incorrect about your typical P-car owner either. but the ones in a club are a bit more knowledgeable, if only so they can "belong" amongst the others who are somewhat fanatical.
frankly, that's not so incorrect about your typical P-car owner either. but the ones in a club are a bit more knowledgeable, if only so they can "belong" amongst the others who are somewhat fanatical.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,355
Likes: 12
nope, you are wrong. you can go to most corvette clubs with c6 owners and ask them a list of tech questions, on paper, so no one is listening to the answers. the vast majority have no real idea about their car---hp, tq, type of springs, how many belts, spare tire location, fuel injection or direct injection, on and on---a real questionnaire with right, wrong, and misleading questions.
frankly, that's not so incorrect about your typical P-car owner either. but the ones in a club are a bit more knowledgeable, if only so they can "belong" amongst the others who are somewhat fanatical.
frankly, that's not so incorrect about your typical P-car owner either. but the ones in a club are a bit more knowledgeable, if only so they can "belong" amongst the others who are somewhat fanatical.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
nooo, not always. but you'd be surprised by what "our fellow" corvette owners don't really care to know, let alone spout off as what WE consider to be fairly common knowledge on CF.
just to prove the point a bit, think about all the newbies who come on here and ask questions about their "new" or "new-to-me" Corvettes. just C6s, not C5s, C2s, etc. and these are people who CARE about their cars, or want to learn or know more. look at the range and depth of what they don't know.
now, take the average Corvette C6 owner, most of whom are not on this car forum, or any other. you really think they know quite a bit about their cars? seriously?
just to prove the point a bit, think about all the newbies who come on here and ask questions about their "new" or "new-to-me" Corvettes. just C6s, not C5s, C2s, etc. and these are people who CARE about their cars, or want to learn or know more. look at the range and depth of what they don't know.
now, take the average Corvette C6 owner, most of whom are not on this car forum, or any other. you really think they know quite a bit about their cars? seriously?
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,355
Likes: 12
nooo, not always. but you'd be surprised by what "our fellow" corvette owners don't really care to know, let alone spout off as what WE consider to be fairly common knowledge on CF.
just to prove the point a bit, think about all the newbies who come on here and ask questions about their "new" or "new-to-me" Corvettes. just C6s, not C5s, C2s, etc. and these are people who CARE about their cars, or want to learn or know more. look at the range and depth of what they don't know.
now, take the average Corvette C6 owner, most of whom are not on this car forum, or any other. you really think they know quite a bit about their cars? seriously?
just to prove the point a bit, think about all the newbies who come on here and ask questions about their "new" or "new-to-me" Corvettes. just C6s, not C5s, C2s, etc. and these are people who CARE about their cars, or want to learn or know more. look at the range and depth of what they don't know.
now, take the average Corvette C6 owner, most of whom are not on this car forum, or any other. you really think they know quite a bit about their cars? seriously?
PS the killer looks don't hurt at all either.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,355
Likes: 12
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,596
Likes: 120
From: East Tennessee
Made sense to me, seems like it would be easier to duct some cool air from the AC to your rear end then add fans to the seat so they must do it that way for a reason.
I use the seat coolers on my truck all the time, would be nice to have them in vette, especially after sitting in a parking lot on a sunny 95+ degree day with a black interior for a few hours. But I can live without cooled seats, I can also live without heated seats that I dont have on my 2LT
Pro
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 727
Likes: 11
From: Springfield Ohio
I would love to have cooled seats. More so than the heated seats in the c6. I don't drive the car when it's that cold but I sure do when it's hot.
I never thought much of it until I drove cars with cooled seats, they're amazing, especially on convertibles.
I also used to not care if a car had a/c or cruise control many moons ago, but now I can't live without that stuff.
I never thought much of it until I drove cars with cooled seats, they're amazing, especially on convertibles.
I also used to not care if a car had a/c or cruise control many moons ago, but now I can't live without that stuff.